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14 tips on how to get promoted

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promotionTo be promoted or to earn your dream job, takes more than a friendly smile and the generic term "hard work."  Of course those definitely help and will get you to a certain point, but you need to also go beyond the basics.  With the employment rate at a low, promotions are also hard to come by.  This is why it is important to prove that you should be promoted and deserve the position.  The question is how?  Won't your employer notice all of your "hard work" and enthusiasm for your job?  Perhaps, but that just isn't enough; especially when everyone else is trying to get promoted as well.

These 14 tips on how to be promoted, will help you to reach that promotion.

1. Plan

The first step is to plan.  You need to analyze where you are in the company at the present moment and why are you there? Next, think about where you want to be and what steps do you need to take to get there?

Having a general sense of your role within the company will help you to reach your goals by pointing out your strengths and weaknesses.  Understanding yourself and the situation at hand will help you to formulate the following steps that need to be taken in order to be promoted.

2. Do your job.

Sounds easy, but often times we are so wrapped up in doing better or heading out of the office early for the weekend, that we forget our basic tasks that we need to do.  You were hired to do a specific job, do it.  For that matter, don't just do it, but do it well.  Yes "hard work" is over used but it is the basis for which your employer will decide if it is worth it to promote you.

3. Do not expect to be rewarded.

If you are constantly doing certain actions and looking for praise, stop.  It will never come to you that way.  Do your job and extra tasks because you want to.  Do them because it is helping not only you, but the rest of the company succeed.

4. Be prepared.

If you are going into a meeting, make sure you take notes.  If you are in charge of the meeting make sure you are confident in what you want to say and understand what you are speaking about.

5. Show your ability to grow.

Change is something that is continuous.  It happens within all companies and businesses in order to keep up with the demands and growth of society.  It is important for you as an employee to show that you encourage the change and are able to keep up with the growth.  For example, social media has become one of the most used forms of communication for companies to their consumers. By staying current with the social media trends and learning how it works, you are already a step ahead and are embracing the growth.

6. Have an attractive attitude.

Take notice that it says attractive and not positive.  Well what is the difference?  Positive gives off the vibe of always cheery, almost to the annoying point at times.  No one is asking you to be the cheer master of the office, especially on Mondays, however presenting yourself in a professional, open manner, allows you to be approachable and to get work done.  Knowing when to joke around and when to be serious is important.  Though you should enjoy your job and make the office a fun place to be, it is still important to remember that you are there to work.



7. Take risks.

In order to get a promotion, you must think outside of the box, think big.  Think about the big picture and think about how to get your employer's attention while helping the company grow as well.

8. Earn the trust of others.

This is not to say that you should be the confidant of office gossip or the secret keeper.  Rather, you should earn the trust of others by being reliable, doing your job and staying out of office gossip. Can your fellow coworkers rely on you to help with a project, and not just help but exceed their expectations?

9. Be loyal.

If you are trying to get a promotion within a certain company, you must be loyal to that company. Do not share the business of your company with others and searching for other jobs is certainly not going to get you that promotion any faster.  An employer promotes those who want to continue to be a part of the company and to share the experiences, both good and bad.

10. Challenge your coworkers and boss.

If you see a better way to solve a problem, or even see an error and you are certain that you are correct, it is ok to bring it to the attention of others. This shows you have taken the time to see other options and you have the courage to take a risk.  However, telling your boss he or she is wrong all the time isn't the quickest way to a promotion either.  Make sure you take into account how you approach the situation.

11. Be drama free.

Similar to earning the trust of others, being drama free will help you to do that.  Gossip is everywhere and hard to stay away from, but if you want the promotion bad enough, it will be easy to stay away.  Staying away from drama will help you to be less cluttered and able to focus on your job and getting that promotion.

12. Find a mentor.

If possible, find someone within the company that you can ask questions to or look to for advice and a second opinion on your work.  Occasionally a little extra guidance will help to point out where you can improve and where your stronger points are.

13. Be noticed.

Being noticed doesn't mean to be obnoxiously around every second of every day.  It means to use your voice and actions to create a positive acknowledgment of yourself.  If you see your boss in the hall, say hello.  If you are unclear about a certain point in a project, ask a question. There are many ways to make sure you are still on the radar at work without being a thorn in everyone's side.

14. Be patient.

Being patient is the key to many things, especially getting a promotion.  Depending on how business is going, promotions usually do not happen over night. Continuing your efforts however, will make it all be pay off in the end.

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How to Choose Your College

Choosing a college can seem very daunting for some, especially with the large amount of choices that exist. However, you can make it easier for yourself by following these tips.

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university choices

Source: About.com



Choosing a college can seem very daunting for some, especially with the large amount of choices that exist. It is not to be forgotten however, you can make choosing a college into a systematic process, allowing you to come to a final decision through a much more controlled process. Many high-school graduates also have problems when choosing their college as the amount of different opinions that exist on each college one vary widely from person to person. It is often much easier and much more strongly recommended to build your own opinions through research of various kinds.

Top Tips to Choose Your College

  • Visit - Hearing about colleges through other people even when it´s close friends that have gone their is never a good idea. You should always try and build your own opinion. By visiting multiple colleges you will begin to get an idea of what you want and do not want. For example you may start noticing patterns weather you prefer a smaller or a bigger college. Visiting a college also allows you to gain a first hand impression of their facilities and the people that are attending there. This is worth more than many think and visiting more than one college even if you are not sure you want to go there will help massively with college selection in the long run. 
  • Don't base everything on rankings - Although it is a good idea to look at the rankings in order to get a feeling for how colleges have been compared to some others you know, it is not recommended to apply to one college over another because of it's ranking. Rankings, as done by the New York Times every year, often concentrate on the spending of a college on it's faculty, facilities, and classes or the amount of research undertaken. However, the colleges spending habits do not necessarily impact the quality of the education you will receive and the value of the people that you will meet while being there.  This is why visiting colleges is so important, you may wish to go to a certain top ranked college, however after visiting it, you may decide it's not for you after all or that you definitely wish to attend that school. Keep in mind, it is often far more accurate to search for college rankings concerning themselves with your course or major specifically.
  • Apply to 3 ranges of colleges - It is a good idea to apply to some "reach" colleges which you believe are just slightly out of your reach when it comes to results. It is possible that you will be pleasantly surprised if you are not completely unrealistic with your choices. Then apply to two or three colleges which you believe that you would really like to go to, choose these carefully as they are the ones you will most likely end up attending. Also choose a safety school, make sure you still like this school as much as your others however it should be a sure thing that you are getting in.

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How to Optimize Your Resume for Applicant Screening Software

In order to diminish the numbers of applications some companies will automatically screen applications, make sure you do not get filtered out with these tips!

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Resume Optimization

Source: Lifehacker.com

When bigger companies advertise the opening of a position, it is not uncommon for them to receive a large amount of applications for the respective job. While not all companies do this, some use applicant screening software in order to filter out the applications by a set of rules that are predetermined by the employer. However, this sometimes also causes problems for the applicants. If your resume or cover letter does not contain certain keywords related the to the job for example, it is possible that no one will ever see your resume. It is a good idea to format your resume and cover letter correctly, in order to avoid being eliminated before the hiring manager has considered you.



Resume Optimization

  • Use keywords - One of the main things that screening software does is scan the resume for certain keywords. Problems arise when, for example, the job description requires the ability to use a certain program, however, it is not mentioned in your resume even though you are able to. This is why it is important to include skills that are required or maybe even seem obvious as screening programs often filter resumes out that do not contain certain words, in an effort to only select candidates that are fully qualified.

  • Repetition - If the job seems to focus on a certain skill or function it is a good idea to include it multiple times throughout your resume. Screening programs will often filter out resumes that do not seem relevant enough to the job, this can be combated however, by using the words from the job description especially those which seem to play a large role in the job.

  • Job titles - Applicant screening software also often scans your employment history and checks its relatedness with the job you are applying for. This is usually the case when the job requires a certain amount of experience. Sometimes however, the software will not recognize a job title and class it as unrelated. It is therefore a good idea, if your recent or current job title does not match with the one you are applying for, to clarify or even put the new employers name for the same job in parentheses. It is not recommended to change the job title entirely as this would be seen as a discrepancy if questioned about it.

  • Save in a standard format - It is often debated which format is the best to send out a resume as, when the company does not specify. Using nonstandard software or formats may cause your resume to be discarded by the screening process or the company may have trouble opening it. Due to the number of applicants the company will not alert you of this fact and your resume will also be discarded. Therefore when sending your resume it is suggested to use a PDF or Word (.docx or .doc) file as most companies will view these as standard.
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Tips for Submitting an Online Job Application

Online applications can be daunting for some, however by following these tips will help you avoid the most common mistakes when applying for jobs online.

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Job application web

Source: loosenyourwhitecollar.com

Online job applications are becoming much more common, however for many people the process is fairly new and unfamiliar. The adopting companies often prefer the paperless aspect of online applications as well as the fact that losing documents also becomes a non-issue. The overall application process may be similar to when applications are done in person but there are some crucial aspects that need extra attention when applying online. The idea of applying online for a job may be daunting but using the following tips as a guide may clear up some worries or questions.

Top tips for applying for a job online

  • Know what you are applying for - One of the most common mistakes made when applying for a job online is not fully reading the job description or advertisement. Hiring managers that use online mediums to search for candidates often complain about receiving applications from job seekers that are under qualified, or do not have the necessary experience  to obtain the job. Make sure you read the whole job description and know what is expected of you, just because an application is online does not change the fact that job requirements are often not flexible.
  • Avoid errors in your application at all costs - Although this goes for all job applications it is even more important when you are applying online. Online applications are often stored even if the candidate was not selected, therefore if you provide content that includes errors this may reduce your chance of seeking another job with the same company in the future. Make sure to check all work before you press the submit button, also reading your text backwards often helps detect spelling errors.
  •  Create a job specific cover or motivation letter (if required) - Make sure to write a good cover letter if one is required. Instead of using a template or writing one that is not specific to the job you are applying to, use the guidelines in the link below to create a unique specific cover letter.

How to write a cover/motivation letter



  • Check your social media sites - If you are applying to a modern company that you know either uses a lot of social networking sites or even conducts checks of these sites as a part of the hiring process, be sure to check your account for any information you do not wish to share with your employer or anything that could deter them considering you as a candidate.
  • Be aware of applicant screening systems - Many employers will not send your details straight to the hiring manager. Often companies use an application screening system that allows for employers to cut down on the number of applications they receive. The system works by scanning for keywords relevant to the position or company, therefore remember to use include all skills and abilities even if they may seem obvious.

How to optimize your resume for applicant screening software

  • Use the STARR method when asked competency questions - Many firms like to ask competency questions on their online job application form. These are questions which allow the employer to learn more about you on their own terms. The STARR method is a great way to answer these questions, it consists of describing a Situation, Telling the employer what your task or role was, describing the Actions you took, discuss the Result and how you Reflected about it. It is always a good idea to use specific, concrete examples of past situations when applying for a job, when applying online competency questions provide you with the chance to do so.

 

 

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